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Hyphenation ofraccourcissent

Syllable Division & Pronunciation

Syllable Division:

rac-cour-cis-sent

Phonetic Transcription:(how the word sounds using IPA symbols)

/ʁa.kuʁ.sis/

Stress Pattern:(which syllables are emphasized when speaking)

0001

The primary stress falls on the last syllable ('sent').

Detailed Syllable Breakdown

Syllables are the building blocks of words - each one typically contains a vowel sound

rac/ʁa/

Open syllable, vowel nucleus 'a'

cour/kuʁ/

Open syllable, vowel nucleus 'u'

cis/sis/

Closed syllable, vowel nucleus 'i'

sent/sɑ̃/

Closed syllable, nasal vowel nucleus 'ɑ̃'

Morphemic Breakdown

Morphemes are the smallest meaningful parts of words: prefixes (beginning), roots (core meaning), and suffixes (ending)

re-(prefix)
+
cour-(root)
+
-cir/-issent(suffix)

Prefix: re-

Latin origin, meaning 'again, back'. Present in the root verb 'raccourcir', but not directly in 'raccourcissent'.

Root: cour-

Latin *currere* - to run, related to length or course.

Suffix: -cir/-issent

Latin origin. '-cir' forms the infinitive stem, '-issent' is the third-person plural present conditional/subjunctive ending.

Meanings & Definitions
verb(grammatical role in sentences)

To become shorter; to shorten (something).

Translation: To shorten

Examples:

"Les jours raccourcissent en hiver."

"Les vêtements raccourcissent après plusieurs lavages."

Similar Words Comparison

Words with similar syllable patterns or pronunciation features

raccourcirrac-cour-cir

Shares the same root and initial syllables, demonstrating consistent syllabification.

raccourcissementrac-cour-cis-se-ment

Shares the same root and initial syllables, illustrating how suffixes are added and syllabified.

commencentcom-men-cent

Similar closed syllable structure at the end ('-cent'), demonstrating a common pattern in French.

Syllable Division Rules

The linguistic principles used to determine where syllables begin and end

Open Syllable Rule

Syllables generally end in a vowel sound. 'rac' and 'cour' follow this rule.

Closed Syllable Rule

Syllables can end in consonants, especially after vowels. 'cis' and 'sent' follow this rule.

Special Considerations

Important exceptions or unusual features in this word's pronunciation or structure

The 'r' in 'rac' can be syllabified with either the preceding or following vowel, but is standardly with the following vowel.

No significant regional variations affect syllable division.

Analysis Summary

Summary:

The word 'raccourcissent' is divided into four syllables: rac-cour-cis-sent. It's a verb form with stress on the final syllable. Syllabification follows standard French rules of open and closed syllables, with consistent morphemic structure derived from Latin roots.

Detailed Analysis:

Analysis of "raccourcissent"

1. Pronunciation: The word "raccourcissent" is pronounced /ʁa.kuʁ.sis/. It's the third-person plural present indicative of the verb "raccourcir" (to shorten).

2. Syllable Division: rac-cour-cis-sent

3. Morphemic Analysis:

  • Prefix: re- (Latin origin, meaning "again, back"). While not directly present in "raccourcissent", the verb "raccourcir" is formed with re- + courcir.
  • Root: cour- (Latin currere - to run). In this context, it relates to length or course.
  • Suffix: -cir (Latin origin, related to circare - to surround, to make round). Forms the infinitive stem.
  • Suffix: -issent (Latin origin, present conditional/subjunctive ending). Indicates third-person plural.

4. Stress Identification: The primary stress falls on the last syllable: rac-cour-cis-sent.

5. Phonetic Transcription: /ʁa.kuʁ.sis/

6. Syllable Breakdown & Rule Application:

  • rac: /ʁa/ - Open syllable. Rule: French syllables generally end in a vowel sound. The 'r' is a consonant, but the 'a' is the vowel nucleus. No exceptions.
  • cour: /kuʁ/ - Open syllable. Rule: Similar to 'rac', the 'u' is the vowel nucleus. No exceptions.
  • cis: /sis/ - Closed syllable. Rule: Syllables can end in consonants, especially after vowels. The 's' closes the syllable. No exceptions.
  • sent: /sɑ̃/ - Closed syllable. Rule: Similar to 'cis', the 'nt' cluster closes the syllable. The nasal vowel 'ɑ̃' is the nucleus. No exceptions.

7. Edge Case Review: The 'r' in "rac" is a consonant that can be syllabified with either the preceding or following vowel. Here, it's with the following vowel, which is standard. The 'cour' syllable is straightforward. The 'cis' and 'sent' syllables are typical closed syllables.

8. Grammatical Role: "Raccourcissent" is exclusively a verb form (third-person plural present indicative of "raccourcir"). Syllabification doesn't change based on grammatical role.

9. Definition & Semantics:

  • Definition: To become shorter; to shorten (something).
  • Translation: To shorten
  • Grammatical Category: Verb (third-person plural present indicative)
  • Synonyms: abréger, diminuer, réduire
  • Antonyms: allonger, agrandir
  • Examples:
    • "Les jours raccourcissent en hiver." (The days shorten in winter.)
    • "Les vêtements raccourcissent après plusieurs lavages." (The clothes shorten after several washes.)

10. Alternative Pronunciations/Regional Variations: Pronunciation is fairly standard across France. Some regional variations might involve slight vowel quality differences, but these wouldn't affect syllable division.

11. Phonological Comparison:

  • raccourcir: rac-cour-cir. Similar syllable structure. Stress on the last syllable.
  • raccourcissement: rac-cour-cis-se-ment. More syllables, but the initial syllables are identical. Stress on the penultimate syllable.
  • commencent: com-men-cent. Similar closed syllable structure at the end ("-cent"). Stress on the last syllable.

The consistency in syllable division across these words demonstrates the application of standard French syllabification rules. The presence of consonant clusters at the end of syllables is a common feature.

Analysis generated by gemma3:27b on 6/22/2025

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What is hyphenation

Hyphenation is the process of splitting words into syllables and inserting hyphens between them to facilitate the reading of a text. It is also used to divide words when the word cannot fit on a line.

This technique is particularly helpful in fully justified texts, where it aids in creating a uniform edge along both sides of a paragraph. Hyphenation rules vary among languages and even among different publications within the same language. It's a critical component in typesetting, significantly influencing the aesthetics and readability of printed and digital media. For instance, in compound adjectives like 'long-term solution', hyphens clarify relationships between words, preventing misinterpretation. Moreover, hyphenation can alter meanings: 'recreation' differs from 're-creation'.

With the advent of digital text, hyphenation algorithms have become more sophisticated, though still imperfect, sometimes requiring manual adjustment to ensure accuracy and coherence in text layout. Understanding and correctly applying hyphenation rules is therefore not only a matter of linguistic accuracy but also a key aspect of effective visual communication.